homer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal; sports slang, primarily North American.
Quick answer
What does “homer” mean?
A home run in baseball.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A home run in baseball; a run scored by a batter who hits the ball and successfully rounds all bases without being put out.
Informally, it can also refer to a homing pigeon. In US slang, the verb form means to hit a home run. In a colloquial, often critical sense, it can refer to a sports commentator or fan with strong, unobjective bias for the home team. It is also a common given name (e.g., Homer Simpson).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Virtually unknown as a baseball term in the UK. 'Homer' for a pigeon is understood in both, but rare. The 'biased fan' meaning is used in sports journalism in both regions, but is more common in North America due to the influence of US sports media.
Connotations
In a US sports context, positive for the player/team (scoring), but negative when referring to biased commentary ('He's such a homer'). In the UK, the word primarily connotes the ancient Greek poet or the pigeon.
Frequency
High frequency in US sports reporting and fan discourse. Very low frequency in general UK English outside of references to Homer Simpson or Homer (the poet).
Grammar
How to Use “homer” in a Sentence
[Subject: player] homered (in the fifth inning).[Subject: player] homered [Object: number] times.[Determiner] (spectacular) homer [Verb: won the game].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “homer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The American player homered in the exhibition game.
American English
- He homered twice to right field yesterday.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The podcast was criticised for its homer analysis of the NFL game.
American English
- Turn off that homer broadcast; I want unbiased commentary.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
In Classics, refers to the poet Homer. Otherwise not used.
Everyday
Used in US/Canada when discussing baseball. 'Homer Simpson' is a global pop culture reference.
Technical
Baseball statistics and commentary.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “homer”
- Using 'homer' in formal writing for 'home run'.
- Confusing the sports and pigeon meanings.
- Pronouncing it with a hard /ɒ/ like 'hot' instead of the /əʊ/ or /oʊ/ diphthong.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an informal, clipped form used primarily in speech and sports journalism.
Yes, in American English, especially in sports reporting: 'He homered in the fifth inning.'
There is no difference in meaning in baseball; 'homer' is simply the informal, shorter version.
In sports media, a 'homer' is a commentator or fan who is irrationally biased towards the home team, lacking objectivity.
A home run in baseball.
Homer: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhəʊmə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhoʊmər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Go deep (for a homer)”
- “Homer-happy (describing a team that hits many)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Homer **HOMEs** in on the plate (to score a run) or **HOME**s in on its loft (like a pigeon).
Conceptual Metaphor
SUCCESS IS A JOURNEY HOME (the batter completes a circuit to home plate). BIAS IS PROXIMITY (a 'homer' commentator is too close to the home team).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'homer' MOST LIKELY refer to a bird?